Emulsifying-machine.



K. D. SMITH.

EMULSIFYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man DEC/26. 1911.

l,%9,, Patented Mar. 12, 1918..

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFIQE.

KARL D. SMITH, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO UNION STEAM PUMP COMPANY, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN.

EMULSIFYING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 12, 1918.

Application filed December 26, 1917. Serial No. 208,814.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, KARL D. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Battle Creek, county of Calhoun, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Emulsifying-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in emulsifying machines.

My improvements are particularly designed by me for treating milk and cream or mlxing butter or fat with milk, although readily adaptable and desirable for use in emulsifying or mixing other substances.

The main objects of the invention are:

First, to provide an improved structure of the class described which is simple and compact in the structure and arrangement of its parts.

Second, to provide a structure of the class described which is capable of quick and accurate and fixed adjustment and adaptation to the work required.

Third, to provide a structure of the class described in which the'parts subject to wear are formed of a material havingv great hardness and durability.

Further objects, and objects relating to structural details, will definitely appear from the detailed description to follow.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices and means described in the following specification. The invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the claims.

A structure which is a preferred embodiment of my invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification in which:

Figure I is an elevatlon of a structure embodying the features of my invention looking from the left of Fig. II.

Fig. II is a detail vertical section on a line corresponding to line 22 of Fig. I.

Fig. III is a detail plan view.

Fig. IV is a horizontal section on a line corresponding to line 44 of Fig. II.

Fig. V is a detail horizontal section on a line corresponding to line 5-5 of Fig. II.

Fig. VI is a horizontal section on a line corresponding to line 6-6 of Fig. II.

Fig. VII is a horizontal section on a line corresponding to line 7-7 of Fig. II.

Fig. VIII is a horizontal section on a line corresponding to line 88 of Fig. II.

In the drawing similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and the sectional lines are taken looking in the direction of the little arrows at the ends of the section lines.

Referring to the drawing, I provide a body member or casing 1 having a longitudinal bore or chamber 2 therein with a lateral discharge port 3 at its upper end. The chamber 2 is preferably stepped. as shown in the accompanying drawing, that is, the chamber has portions 4;, 5, 6 and 7, of different diameters, the diameters gradually decreasing toward the top.

The inlet coupling member 8 is threaded into the lower end of the casing and adapted to receive the inlet pipe 9. The discharge pipe 10 is threaded into the casing to communicate with the discharge port 3.

Within the casing I arrange an annular seat member 11. The seat member is arranged within the portion 6 of the chamber so as to rest or seat against the shoulder formed by the portion 7 of the chamber. This seat member 11 preferably has a conical (could be fiat or spherical) seat 12 which faces toward the inlet. The member 13 has aconical face coacting with the seat and acts as a valve to control the delivery of the material through the machine. The valve has a sliding fit within the portion 5 of the chamber and has a reduced portion 14 at its upper end which has a sliding fit in the valve seat member 11 so that the valve member is guided at both ends and any lateral or canting movement thereof effectively prevented.

The valve member has longitudinal grooves 15 which open into the space above the coupling member 8 so as to communicate with the passage 16 thereof.

The casing preferably has an annular groove 17 at the shoulder between the portions 5 and 6 of the chamber, so that the grooves 15 communicate with the annular groove permitting a distribution of fluid entirely around the face 18 of the valve member. The reduced portion of the valve member has longitudinal grooves 19 and an annular groove 20 at its lower end so that a connecting passage is formed for the lower ends of all the grooves. These grooves provide a passage for the material treated and permit a close sliding fit for the valve member so that it is efiectively guided. It will be noted that the valve member is arranged so that the pressure of the fluid thereon urges it toward its seat and has no tendency to open the same.

A coiled spring 21 is carried by the coupling member 8 to hold the valve member normally toward its seat and is so disposed that the pressure of the fluid acted upon does not react against the spring.

The valve is adjusted and held in its open position by means of the adjusting screw 22 threaded into the upper end of the casing to engage the valve member and hold it from its seat against the pressure of the fluid. The valve casing is preferably provided with screw gaging indicia 23 to indicate the position of the valve.

The adjusting handle or lever 24 is preferably provided with a spring detent 25 which coacts with the stops 26, see Figs. I, II and IV. This arrangement enables the accurate adjustment of the valve member.

The seat member 11 and the valve member 13 are preferably formed of some hard steel alloy comparable with high speed steels or may be formed of agate or specially prepared vitreous material possessing the necessary hardness and toughness, the requirement being that the material be substantially non-corrosive and resistant.

In treating milk and cream, I first preferably heat the same to approximately pasteurizing temperatures. It is then passed through the machine under pressure, the range of which may be considerable varied, from 1000 to 2000 pounds having been found quite satisfactory for commercial purposes.

In use the screw is adjusted to open the valve member and hold it open against the pressure of the material being treated. Satisfactory results may be secured with the valve member open to provide a space between its face and seat member face of about 3/1000 of an inch, and may be reduced to any amount desired for more thorough work. This may be considerably varied. In the event of clogging the adjusting screw may be manipulated to open the valve member farther, which permits any material which may have been collected between the surfaces to be carried away by the fluid under pressure. This clearing operation consumes only a moment of time after long intervals of use. Usually it is not required during an entire run of several hours, the cleaning of the valves after each use being all that is required to keep the machine in perfect operating condition.

In milk treated as above indicated the fat globules are quite uniformly divided from the natural clusters or clots and distributed throughout the liquid mass and held in sus pension, that is, they do not separate from the milk body or rise as cream, or gather again into clusters or clots characteristic of normal milk.

I am aware that this is more or less true of pasteurized milk, but by passing milk, particularly milk heated, as stated, through my machine, the viscosity of the milk or cream is considerably increased and it appears to be more thoroughly emulsified, the fat globules being scattered and some modification or thickening of the milk body takes place, the exact cause of which is not thoroughly understood nor explained.

The primary result sought for in the use of emulsifying machines, is an equal and permanent distribution of the fatty elements; and although many devices are used to effect the distribution, few have accomplished this distribution and simultaneously rendered the emulsion inseparable. Distribution can be accomplished by heating and agitating to break up and scatter the clusters of fat globules, but unless the temperature be raised to a degree sufliciently high to impart a cooked taste and other undesirable results, the fat will again cluster or congeal on cooling and the emulsion separate more or less into its component parts. Another and very desirable effect of such emulsifying devices, particularly those of the pressure type, is in the increasing of the viscosity of the liquid during the process which separates and scatters the fatty content, and as heating reduces the viscosity, other means must be used to bring about this desired result, which is unquestionably produced by certain action on the milk body, and is independentof any change brought about in the physical structure of the butter fat.

I am aware that many apparatuses have been constructed for intimately mixing milk and other fatty liquids of somewhat similar character, and although these various apparatuses have been more or less successful in ordinary operation, all of them have been unsuccessful for producing cream emulsions suitable for use in coffee, such failure being due to the action of spring loaded valves on constitutents of cream other than the butter fat. In using a spring loaded or other type of yielding valve, the spring element is used to force the valve surfaces to gether upon the liquid being pumped therebetween, and the yield or opening of the surfaces is proportional to the pressure or quantity of liquid passing'through. The pulsations of the pump plungers and the varied delivery of the several cylinders set up a vibratory motion of the yielding'valve, and the acceleration of'the spring on its return from compression, causes the surfaces to approach to constantly varying degrees and therefore the opening cannot be controlled within the required limit. For this reason the gelatinous portion of the milk body is subject to very severe squeezing and pounding action, causing changes in these elements by reason of which they are changed from their original state of suspension or colloidal solution, and these elements are visibly affected when introduced into hot liquid such as cofiee, giving the appearance of bein in the state normally termed sour or our led, which of course renders the treated milk unsuitable for commercial puroses.

WVith my device the aperture through which the emulsion is forced is held fixedly open to the required degree against the flow of incoming liquid and any springing of the metal will not enlarge the opening. I am able to produce successfully and commercially a cream emulsion which will not separate and will not be afiected when introduced into hot liquids such as coffee. All the above applies equally well to difficulties encountered in the manufacture and treating of condensed milk, in which process the difliculty of curdling experienced is met with during the final process of sterilizing causing the finished product to have a curdy and very objectionable appearance to the customer.

I have illustrated my improvements as I have embodied the same for the treatment of dairy products and although I have illustrated atypical design showing the basic principle of construction, the various elements are subject to many changes in form. The invention is clearly defined, both specifically and broadly, in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a casing having a chamber therein provided with a delivery passage at its upper end, an annular seat member disposed within said chamber below said delivery passage thereof, a valve member adjustably fitting within said chamber below said seat member, an adjusting screw threaded into the upper end of said casing to adjust and hold said valve member from its seat against the pressure of the incoming fluid, said casing being provided with gage indicia for said screw, and an adjusting lever for said screw provided with a spring detent,

' said casing being provided with stops for said detent.

2. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a casing having a chamber therein provided with a delivery passage at its upper end, an annular seat member diposed within said chamber below said delivery passage thereof, a valve member adjustably fitting within said chamber below said seat member, and an adjusting screw at its upper end, an annular seat member disposed Within said chamber below said delivery passage thereof, a valve member adjustably fitting within said chamber below said seat member, and an adjusting screw threaded into the upper end of said casing to adjust and fixedly hold said valve.

member from its seat against the pressure of the incoming fluid.

4. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a casing having a chamber therein provided with a'delivery passage at its upper end, an annular seat member having a conical seat at its lower end disposed within said chamber below said delivery passage thereof, a longitudinally grooved valve member adjustably fitting within said chamber below said seat member and having aconical portion with which said longitudinal grooves communicate, said valve member havin a longitudinally grooved reduced portion slidably fitting Within said valve seat member and having an annular groove at its lower end with which its said longitudinal grooves communicate, and an adjusting screw threaded into the upper end of said casing to adjust and fixedly hold said valve seat member from its seat against the pressure of the incoming fluid.

5. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a casing having a chamber therein provided with a delivery passage at its upper end, an annular seat member disposed within said chamber below said delivery passage thereof, a valve member adjustably fitting within said chamber below said seat member, an inlet coupling member threaded into the lower end of said casing, a spring for normally holding said valve toward its seat carried by said coupling member, and an adjusting screw threaded into the upper end of said casing to adjust and hold said valve member from its seat against the pressure of the fluid.

6. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a casing, an annular seat member having a conical seat facing toward the inlet of said casing, a longitudinally grooved .valve member adjustably fitting within said casing and having a conical portion coacting with said seat, said casing having an annular groove at the base of said conical portion with which said longitudinal grooves communicate, said valve member having a longitudinally grooved reduced portion slidably fitting within said valve seat 'member and having an annular groove at its lower end with which its said longitudinal grooves communicate, and means for adjusting and holding said valve member from its seat against the pressure of the incoming fluid.

7. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a casing, an annular seat member of non-corrosive resistant material disposed to face the inlet, a longitudinally grooved valve member of non-corrosive resistant material disposed in front of said seat member so that the pressure of the fluid on said valve member is toward its seat, said valve member having a longitudinally grooved reduced portion slidably fitting within said valve seat member, and means for adjusting and holding said valve memlplerdfrom its scat against the pressure of the 8. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a casing, an annular seat member disposed to face the inlet, a longitudinally grooved valve member disposed in front of said seat member so that the pressure of the fluid on said valve member is toward its seat, said valve member having a longitudinally grooved reduced portion slidably fitting within said valve seat member, and means for adjusting and holding said valve member from its seat against the pressure of the incoming fluid.

9. In a structure of the class describedfrhe combination of a casing provided with inlet and outlet connections, an annular seat member of non-corrosive resistant material disposed to face the inlet, a valve member of non-corrosive resistant material disposed in front of said seat member so that the pressure of the fluid on said valve member is toward its seat, said valve member having a reduced portion slid-ably fitting within said valve seat member, and an adjusting screw for adjusting and fixedly holding said valve member from its seat against the pressure of the fluid.

10. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a casing provided with inlet and outlet connections, an annular seat member of non-corrosive resistant material disposed to face the inlet, a valve member disposed in front of said seat member so inlet and outlet connections, a seat member of non-corrosive resistant material disposed to face toward the inlet of the casing, a

valve member of non-corrosive resistant ma-- terial disposed in front of said seat member to coact therewith and so that the pressure of the fluid on the valve member is toward its seat, and an adjusting screw for adjusting and holding said valve member from its seat against the pressure of the fluid.

12. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a casing provided with inlet and outlet connections, a seat member disposed to face toward the inlet of the easing, a valve member disposed in front of said seat member to coact therewith and so that the pressure of the fluid on the valve member is toward its seat, and an adjusting screw for adjusting and fixedly holding said valve member from its seat against the pressure of the fluid.

13. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a casing provided with inlet and outlet connections, a seat member disposed to face toward the inlet of the cas ing, a valve member disposed in front of said seat member to coact therewith and so that the pressure of the fluid on the valve member is toward its seat, a spring disposed to normally hold said valve member toward its seat, and an adjusting screw for adj usting and holding said valve member from its seat against the pressure of the fluid, providing thereby a fixed opening of the required width.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal in' the presence of two witnesses.

KARL D. SMITH. a 8.

Witnesses:

E. M. SMITH, J F. HAGELSHAW. 

